OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P0220
Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor "B" Circuit
Severity
high
Left alone, this one tends to take other parts with it.
Can you drive it
Not for long
Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it.
Indicative cost (USD)
$200–$800
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Generic fault in throttle/pedal position sensor B circuit (most electronic throttles have A + B for redundancy).
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light
- Reduced power mode (limp)
- Erratic throttle response
Likely causes
- Failed APP/TPS sensorMost common
- Wiring/connector
- Throttle body needs cleaning or replacement
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0220 sets when the ECM sees the throttle position sensor B circuit out of its expected operating window on a drive-by-wire (ETC) vehicle; TPS-B is t…
P0220 sets when the ECM sees the throttle position sensor B circuit out of its expected operating window on a drive-by-wire (ETC) vehicle; TPS-B is the second potentiometer track inside the electronic throttle body that runs inverse to TPS-A so the PCM can cross-check the two against each other.
Cheapest-first diagnosis
- with key-on engine-off, backprobe the TPS-A and TPS-B signal wires at the throttle body connector and watch a graphing scan tool or DVOM — TPS-A should read approximately 0.5 V at closed throttle and sweep smoothly to about 4.5 V at WOT, while TPS-B mirrors the opposite direction (roughly 4.5 V closed dropping to 0.5 V WOT) on most Toyota/Honda/GM ETC bodies (some Ford and VW invert this, so reference the FSM).
- Verify the shared 5 V reference at the connector is steady at 4.9 to 5.1 V and the sensor ground reads under 100 mV to chassis.
- Caveat: P0220 is essentially nonexistent on pre-ETC cable-throttle vehicles because they only have a single TPS; if you see this code on a 1990s vehicle, suspect a misidentified code or a non-OEM retrofit harness.
Vehicle-specific patterns2005-2010 Honda Odyssey/Pilot 3.5L — the integrated TPS inside the ETB fails as a unit; Honda does not sell the sensor separately, throttle body asse…
- 2005-2010Honda Odyssey/Pilot 3.5L — the integrated TPS inside the ETB fails as a unit; Honda does not sell the sensor separately, throttle body assembly replacement plus idle relearn is required.
- 2007-2014Toyota Camry/RAV4 2.5L (2AR-FE) — same integrated-TPS pattern, replace ETB part 22030-0H030 or family equivalent.
- 2007-2013GM 5.3L/6.0L truck (LY5/LY6) — carbon buildup on the throttle plate shifts TPS-B learned position; BG 44K induction clean plus throttle relearn fixes it before parts get thrown.
- 2006-2011VW/Audi 2.0T (BPY/CCTA) — throttle body J338 internal sensor failure, scan-tool basic-settings adaptation after replacement is mandatory.
Estimated repair$120 to $650.
Look up another code
P0220 — frequently asked
What does a P0220 code mean?
Generic fault in throttle/pedal position sensor B circuit (most electronic throttles have A + B for redundancy).
What causes a P0220 code?
Common causes: Failed APP/TPS sensor; Wiring/connector; Throttle body needs cleaning or replacement.
What are the symptoms of a P0220 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Reduced power mode (limp); Erratic throttle response.
Is it safe to drive with a P0220 code?
Not for long. Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it. Estimated repair: $200-$800.
How do I diagnose a P0220 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
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